I get asked this question all of the time: Will I have to go to Court on my speeding ticket when I hire you as my criminal defense lawyer? There is a short answer and then a longer answer.
I guess I understand the situation. I am one of those rare individuals that really love going to Court. My law partner and I go every day to a Court in Greene County or one of the surrounding counties or municipalities. In fact today I was in four different courthouses. We are just wired to get the excitement of going into Court. Whether it is arguing a motion, presenting our side to the Judge on a legal matter dealing with a complex felony or negotiating an outcome with a Prosecutor on a DWI, we just like to go to Court.
It has come to my attention that not everyone is like that. In fact, most of my clients would give their left arm to avoid going. Courts can be congested, slow going and frankly confusing for unrepresented defendants. When you finally do get to see the Judge or talk to a prosecutor, the court personnel tend to speak another language and no one slows down and talks to you about what is happening and why.
So, the short answer to the question of “do I need to go to Court on my Speeding Ticket when I hire you” is typically NO. My clients do not.
The longer answer is going to sound like one given by an attorney. Because well, I am an attorney. And that answer is it depends. It is dependent on several things. On jurisdiction, speed of the vehicle, and the driving record of the defendant are all things that could change my short answer. We have Judges that like to make an impact on young drivers. Sometimes those Judges ask to have the speeder come in. Sometimes I have parents that feel like a visit to Court might make their child slow down. Sometimes, like the case I got hired on last week, the client decided to drive 118 MPHs just to see what the car will do. The Judge is going to want to see that driver…
So, hiring a criminal defense attorney is a good way to avoid having to see the Judge. But each situation is dependent on the facts and jurisdiction, so hiring a lawyer that is familiar with the area of law and the Judge your case will be in front of is VERY important.
Also check out: https://blog.mrdlawyers.com/blog/is-the-court-date-on-my-ticket-is-not-really-my-court-date
Whether you are charged with federal crimes, state felonies, DWIs or DUIs, misdemeanors or traffic tickets. We can help.
Put National and State award-winning former Greene County Prosecutors on your legal defense team. We have three decades worth of experience winning cases in Greene County and we want to help you with your legal issues. Contact the legal team at MRD Lawyers today.
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